MORE than 200 green-fingered enthusiasts are expected to pack out a town centre venue for the long-awaited return of a popular radio programme.

Tickets are up for grabs as BBC Radio 4's Gardeners' Question Time gets set to head back to Braintree four years after its most recent visit.

The show will be recorded at Bocking Arts Theatre on Wednesday, March 20 at a session which has been planned by the Braintree and Bocking Public Gardens Trust.

It sees a panel of gardening experts - who are yet to be announced - tackle questions put to them by local gardening enthusiasts.

George Canvin, chairman of the Trustees of Braintree and Bocking Gardens Trust said: "You can ask them anything you want from tips on looking after your lawn to pruning roses.

"We last hosted the programme here back in June 2016 and it went exceptionally well from everyone's point of view.

"In fact it went so well that they invited themselves to come back this time around and, of course, we are more than happy to have them return.

"It's fantastic to have such a high-profile programme here - it's a good way for us to spread the word about the gardens and tell people that we are here.

"I have the questions forms which people are able to fill out if they want their question to be asked - about ten are chosen beforehand for the experts to answer."

The show has become a British institution and attracts more than two million listeners each week, and has answered tens of thousands of questions in its 72-year history.

Two shows will be recorded at the arts theatre next month will be broadcast on the station within three weeks or recording.

Tickets for the evening cost £4.50 and are available to purchase from the Bocking Arts Theatre or by emailing gclfa@btinternet.com.

Alternatively call 01787 462366 or 07778188396.

Recording will begin at 5.30pm and is expected to last for around three hours.